Corset-steel reinforcer.



L. W. LITGH.

v consm STEEL REINFORGBR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.12, 1909.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

ATTORNE Y.

FFTC' LEMUEL W. LITCI-I, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

CORSET-STEEL REINFORCER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEMUEL W. lawn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Corset-Steel Reinforcer,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in corset steel reinforcers andhas for its object the provision of a device of this characterconstructed in such manner as to efliciently brace and reinforce acorset steel through a considerable portion of its length under normalconditions and also serving to quickly and permanently repair a brokencorset steel.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in thedetailed description which now follows. 7

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of a corset steelshowing my appliance in position, Fig. 2 is an end view of my applianceand Fig. 3 is an edge View of my appliance.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of thedrawing.

In Fig. 1, A designates the corset steel proper and B the loop or catchof the corset steel which is engaged by the hook upon the opposed corsetsteel, not shown. It is customary to designate the entire structureindicated by A as a corset steel though it is well known that itcomprises a fabric covering and an interior metallic stiffening rib thewidth of which is indicated at F.

The parts so far described are all of the usual and well knownstructure.

The member comprising the invention consists of a spring strip C towhich the hard-tempered metal heads or flanges D are secured by rivetsE. This member is applied to the corset steel as shown in Fig. 1, thatis, the strip C lies upon one side of said steel and the overhangingheads or flanges 1) lie upon the opposite side thereof, the spacebetween said flanges and the strip being such as to cause thereinforcing member to frictionally engage the steel whereby it is firmlyheld in position upon Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 12, 1909.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Serial No. 483,074.

said steel. Under normal conditions the strip C and the flanges D servemerely to brace, strengthen and reinforce the corset steel but if saidsteel should become broken, as indicated by the line GG, the reinforcingmember serves to repair the steel by permanently holding the twoportions thereof in alinementwith each other. It will be observed, whenthe device is positioned upon the corset-steel, the spring strip liesupon one side of said steel and the hard tempered or rigid flanges uponthe other side, so that, as the corset-steel is bent against saidflanges or hooks, they being hard tempered or rigid, retain theirrelation to the spring strip and draw or bend said strip with the steel,at the same time reinforcing said strip whereby it will be strong enoughto resume its normal position. The term, hard tempered metal heads D, isused to distinguish the characteristic or condition of the metal in saidheads or flanges from that used in the spring strip C, which is springtempered, therefore, what is meant by hard tempered in the presentinstance is, metal conditioned to a hardness, such as tool steel, whichlacks the spring and elasticity of spring tempered metal. As thusconstructed, with the device positioned upon the corset steel having thespring strip upon one side and the hard tempered flanges upon the otherside thereof, the said corset steel will be reinforced by the device,and as the heads or flanges lack the spring of the strip to which theyare secured, it is obvious that they cannot be bent or sprung out oftheir normal relation with the spring strip, but will necessarilyretain' their normal relation, holding their grip upon the corset steel,and prevent any creeping or disarrangement of the device.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple and efficientmeans are herein provided for accomplishing the objects of theinvention, but while the elements herein shown and described are welladapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to the precise constructionset forth, but includes Within its purview such changes as may be madeWithin the scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention What I 5 claim is:

A reinforcing member for corset-steels, comprising a spring strip ofsuch length as to extend along a considerable portion of the length ofthe corset-steel, and a plural- 10 ity of separate, independentlyformed, hardtempered or rigid flanges attached to said spring strip,said flanges having one end spaced apart and lying in parallel relationto said spring strip.

In Witness whereof I hereunto set my 15 hand.

LEMUEL W. LITCH. lVitnesses ELSA M. SMERLING, CHARLES W. Lovn'r'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

